Eugénie Grandet

descriptionRésumé

"Eugénie Grandet" by Honoré de Balzac is a novel written during the early 19th century. The book explores themes of wealth, avarice, and the constraints of social expectations in a provincial setting, focusing on the titular character, Eugénie Grandet, and her life under the strict domination of her miserly father, Monsieur Grandet. The opening of "Eugénie Grandet" sets an atmospheric tone, depicting the melancholic ambiance of a provincial town in Saumur, characterized by its quiet streets and the imposing presence of Monsieur Grandet’s house. We learn about Grandet's background as a once-ambitious tonnelier who cleverly amassed a fortune from the post-Revolutionary sales of church lands, eventually becoming the wealthiest man in the area. The narrative introduces the relationships within the Grandet household, particularly the dynamic between Eugénie, her submissive mother, and the hard-hearted, calculating nature of her father. As the story unfolds, we see the brewing tension around Eugénie's potential suitors amidst Grandet’s controlling grip over her life, foreshadowing the impending conflicts that wealth and familial duty will bring. (This is an automatically generated summary.)